India exploring Information Technology Partnership with Kazakhstan

India and Central Asia’s biggest country Kazakhstan are hoping to launch an initiative this week to put in place a mechanism for Information Technology partnership, as per an ET Report.

Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Askar Zhumagaliyev will be arriving in India from 20th to 21st September on an official visit.

During the visit, Askar Zhumagaliyev will hold a meeting with Minister of Electronics & Information Technology of India Ravi Shankar Prasad, management of evading state-owned and private IT companies and visit a number of technological facilities of India in Delhi and Bangalore.

Both countries will discuss the possibility of further strengthening bilateral relations in the field of information technologies.

Relations between Kazakhstan and India are based on centuries-old historical and cultural ties. The two countries have been strategic partners since the UPA government in 2009.

In April 2018, Mr Askar Zhumagaliyev, who is responsible for digitisation, had also visited Great Britain to explore an opportunity to enter new markets.

As part of his visit, Mr Zhumagaliyev met with heads of digitisation for agencies of the UK Government, including the National Cyber Security Centre and the Government Digital Service. Meetings were also held with the London Mayor’s Office and top management of TechNation and IntelliSence.io.

Sushma Swaraj in Kazakhstan

Earlier in August this year, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met the country’s top leaders to discuss ways to consolidate the strategic partnership in areas like trade, energy, security and information technology India and Kazakhstan later agreed to further strengthen defence cooperation.

She also called on Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Bakytzhan Sagintayev and exchanged views on strengthening cooperation in trade and investment, ICT, joint film production, tourism and people-to-people contacts.

“We took stock of progress in our bilateral relations. India’s relations with Kazakhstan are built on a strong foundation of centuries old historical and cultural ties. Both India and Kazakhstan have developed multifaceted cooperation in all areas of bilateral and multilateral relations and are strategic partners since 2009,” she said after her talks with her Kazakhstan counterpart,” she said.

Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India (2009)

As per Economic Times, India is also sharpening its focus on Kazakhstan and other Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries to boost tea exports to one of the biggest importers of the beverage.